Modular refrigerator

ABSTRACT

A modular refrigerator, comprising several planar thermally-insulated elements, each of thickness, which may be connected together and detached from each other and which, when connected, form a housing for the refrigerator. Two of the planar thermally-insulated elements are connected to each other by a connection surface in the joined state. The connection surface has a first extent from the inside of the housing to the outside and a second extent along the housing. The first extent of the connection surface is greater than the thickness of the two connected planar thermally-insulated elements.

The invention relates to a modular refrigerator comprising several planar thermally insulated elements which may be connected together and detached from each other and which, when connected, form a housing for the refrigerator.

Such a modular refrigerator is disclosed, for example, in DE 84 15 798 U1. This modular refrigerator consists of two replaceable lateral walls, a rear wall, a ceiling wall, a bottom wall and a front door, which are fastened to each by means of fastening and articulation means. The lateral walls, the rear wall, the ceiling wall and the bottom wall are each produced as one complete unit, e.g. are tightened against each other with screws and form the housing of the refrigerator. Here the individual walls are connected together by means of connecting surfaces through which heat or moisture is able to penetrate from the outside into the interior of the housing.

The object of this invention is therefore to construct a modular refrigerator so that as little heat and/or moisture as possible reaches the inside from the outside via the connection surfaces of the individual components.

The object of the invention is achieved by a modular refrigerator comprising a plurality of planar thermally insulated elements each exhibiting a certain thickness, which may be connected together or detached from each other and, when connected, form a housing for the refrigerator, and two of which planar thermally insulated elements, when connected, are connected together by means of a connection surface and where the connecting surface has a first spatial extension from the interior of the housing to the outside, and a second spatial extension along the housing, characterised in that the first spatial extension of the connection surface is greater than the thickness of the two planar thermally insulated elements connected together. The modular refrigerator according to the invention is provided in particular for being delivered in the non-assembled condition, i.e. dismantled, to an end consumer, for example, so that the latter is able to assemble the planar thermally insulated elements, which comprise, for example, two lateral elements, a bottom element, a ceiling element and the rear wall, to form a functional refrigerator. However, thermally insulated elements may also be a combination, for example, of a lateral element and a ceiling element, i.e. a planar thermally insulated element is part of the housing of the refrigerator. Because the first spatial extension of the connection surface is greater than the thickness of the two planar thermally insulated elements connected together, the section provided for the possible production of heat is extended, which means that less heat or moisture is able to penetrate from the outside into the interior of the housing of the modular refrigerator.

The first spatial extension may then be constructed in a relatively simple manner so that it is greater than the thickness of the two planar thermally insulated elements when the first spatial extension is designed in the form of steps, as is provided for according to a preferred variant of the modular refrigerator according to the invention.

The heat produced can be minimised when, as provided for according to embodiments of the modular refrigerator according to the invention, the material of the thermally insulated elements in the region of the connection services has the lowest possible thermal conductivity and/or the material of the thermally insulated elements in the region of the connection surfaces is as thin as possible.

An improved thermal insulation is also obtained according to a further variant of the modular refrigerator according to the invention if at least one of the two planar thermally insulated elements along the second spatial extension of the connection surface comprises at least one seal. This seal may, be example, be tied in, extruded on, packed in foam, or it may be a strip of ribbing and/or a plastic lip. In this case the seal preferably lies adjacent to the outside of the housing or the inside of the housing. The seal may, for example, be made from TPE.

An exemplary embodiment of a modular refrigerator according to the invention is represented by way of example in the diagrammatic FIGURE below.

The FIGURE shows a modular refrigerator 1 partially assembled. Housing G of refrigerator 1 comprises in this exemplary embodiment two lateral walls 2 and 3, a ceiling element 4, a bottom element 5 and a rear wall 6, which may be connected together with furniture fittings 7 and may also be detached from each other again. The FIGURE shows lateral wall 3, bottom element 5, rear wall 6 and ceiling element 4 already connected together.

The individual elements 2-6 are designed as planar thermally insulated elements and in this exemplary embodiment each comprise an inner and outer lining, not shown in detail, which enclose a cavity filled with a thermal insulation material. Modular refrigerator 1 also comprises a door, not shown in the FIGURE, with which housing G of refrigerator 1 may be sealed, and a refrigerant circuit, not shown in detail either, which comprises an evaporator, a condenser and a compressor. In this exemplary embodiment the refrigerant circuit is arranged on rear wall 6.

Two planar thermally insulated elements are each connected to furniture fittings 7. In this exemplary embodiment furniture fittings 7 each comprise a metal pin provided with a thread. The metal pins are screwed into corresponding holes in planar thermally insulated elements 2-6. To connect a planar thermally insulated element to a further planar thermally insulated element the metal pins are inserted in corresponding holes drilled in the further planar thermally insulated element, and tightened with lock nuts not shown in the FIGURE. By way of example FIGURE shows metal pins 7 a which are screwed into lateral wall 2. Metal pins 7 a are inserted in corresponding holes in ceiling element 4. These holes are concealed in the FIGURE and are not therefore shown. However, lateral wall 2 comprises further metal pins, not shown in the FIGURE, which are inserted in holes 7 b in bottom element 5 and rear wall 6 respectively for connecting lateral wall 2 to rear wall 6 and bottom element 5.

The individual planar thermally insulated elements, when connected, are connected together by connection surfaces. By way of example the FIGURE shows a connection surface 8 by means of which lateral wall 2 is to be connected to rear wall 6, and a connection surface 9, by means of which bottom element 5 is to be connected to lateral element 2.

As may be deduced from the FIGURE, connection surfaces 8, 9, by means of which lateral wall 2 is connected to bottom element 5 and rear wall 6, are designed in steps in their extensions from outside to inside relative to housing G. This means that the sections between the outside and the inside along the individual connection surfaces are larger than thicknesses D of the individual planar thermally insulated elements.

Furthermore, the individual planar thermally insulated elements 2-6 are coated, at least on their connection surfaces, with a plastic of relatively low thermal conductivity, which plastic is constructed as thinly as possible. Furthermore, each connection surface comprises two seals. By way of example a seal 10 and a seal 11 are shown for connection surface 9 of bottom element 5. In this exemplary embodiment seal 10 is tied into connection surface 9 and extends along bottom element on the edge facing the outside of bottom element 5. In this exemplary embodiment seal 11 is a strip of ribbing which is tied into connection surface 9 of bottom element 5 and runs along the edge facing towards the inside of housing G. The FIGURE also shows two further seals 12 and 13, which are tied into rear wall 6 in the region of connection surface 8. In this exemplary embodiment seal 12 extends along rear wall 6 on the edge facing the outside of rear wall 6, and seal 13 is a strip of ribbing which runs along the edge facing the inside of housing G.

In this exemplary embodiment seals 9 to 13 are tied into the corresponding planar thermally insulated elements. However, the seals may also be extruded on or packed in foam. Instead of the strip of ribbing a plastic lip, in particular, may also be used here. 

1-8. (canceled)
 9. A modular refrigerator, comprising a plurality of planar thermally insulated elements each having a thickness, which elements may be connected together and detached from each other, and when connected, form a housing for the refrigerator, and two planar thermally insulated elements of which, when connected, are connected together by means of a connection surface, the connection surface having a first spatial extension from the interior of the housing to the outside and a second spatial extension along the housing, wherein the first spatial extension of the connection surface is larger than the thickness of the two planar thermally insulated elements connected together.
 10. The modular refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the first spatial extension is designed in the form of steps.
 11. The modular refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the material of the thermally insulated elements in the region of the connection surfaces has the lowest possible thermal conductivity.
 12. The modular refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the material of the thermally insulated elements in the region of the connection surfaces is as thin as possible.
 13. The modular refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the two modular thermally insulated elements along the second spatial extension of the connection surface comprises at least one seal.
 14. The modular refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein the seal is tied into one of the two thermally insulated elements, is extruded on, packed in foam, is at least one of a strip of ribbing and a plastic lip.
 15. The modular refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein the seal is adjacent to the outside of the housing.
 16. The modular refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein the seal is adjacent to the inside of the housing. 